Prosecutors said Peaslee shook the baby so severely he caused the child permanent brain injury and blindness.

A judge set bail at $25,000 cash or $50,000 single surety. Peaslee is being held at Kennebec County Jail in Augusta

"I think in a case like this that is as serious as this one that a person should be held while waiting for their trial date," Kennebec District Attorney Maegan Maloney said. "I do understand our jail is overcrowded, I do understand we don't have a lot of room, but I think this is exactly the kind of case where we need to make room."

Peaslee's attorney argued he has no criminal record and is suffering from mental illness.

At the apartment complex on Capitol Street where the incident allegedly took place, neighbors are outraged.

"It's a terrible person that could ever, ever do that to another human being, especially a baby that's so innocent, unable to care for themselves," Steve Roberge said.

"Anybody who can take out something on a baby, it's just, there's something wrong with them," neighbor Jomarie Warner said.

Prosecutors said Peaslee was stopped by police after he went through a stop sign. That's when officers spotted the child in distress.

Maloney said what police discovered when they searched the apartment is even more troubling.

"There's a tape that talks about never shake your baby, and most hospitals do have new parents, especially young parents- which is what we have in this case- watch this tape before they take their child home. So that they understand the repercussions of what happens if you do lose control and act out of anger, the repercussions are with their children for ever. So in this case, the couple was given a copy of that tape," Maloney said.

Police had said the child was in grave condition at Maine Medical Center. The hospital will not give out any information because the baby is now a ward of the state.

1BOX A YOUNG FATHER IS IN JAIL, ACCUSED OF SHAKING HIS INFANT DAUGHTER SO VIOLENTLY, THE BABY IS NOW BLIND AND HAS SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE. KEVIN PEASLEE OF AUGUSTA IS MADE HIS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE TODAY ON ASSAULT CHARGES. WMTW NEWS 8'S JIM KEITHLEY WAS THERE. HE NOW JOINS US LIVE FROM AUGUSTA. PEASLEE IS BEING HELD ON 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH - OR 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS BOND - HERE AT KENNEBEC COUNTY JAIL. DURING A HEARING TODAY - PEASLEE PLEADED "NOT GUILTY." FOUR DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS - PROSECUTORS SAY A SIX MONTH OLD BABY GIRL WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKEN INSIDE APARTMENT SEVEN IN THIS COMPLEX ON CAPITOL STREET. THE DISTRICY ATTORNEY SAID THE CHILD'S MOTHER WAS WORKING AND WAS NOT HOME AT THE TIME - POLICE SAY THE CHILD'S FATHER - 21 YEAR OLD KEVIN PEASLEE - SHOOK HIS OWN DAUGHTER - HE WAS ARRAIGNED VIA VIDEO LINK FROM THE JAIL TODAY - THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY CALLING THIS THE MOST SERIOUS OF CASES. "I think in a case like this that is as serious as this one that a person should be held while waiting for their trail date. That's my position, I do understand our jail is overcrowded, I do understand we don't have a lot of room, but I think this is exactly the kind of case where we need to make room." PEASLEE'S DEFENSE LAWYER ARGUED HE HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD, AND IS SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS. BACK AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX NEIGHBORS REACTING TO THE NEWS THAT THE CHILD'S FATHER WAS ARRESTED. "It's a terrible person that could ever, ever do that to another human being especially a baby that's so innocent, unable to take care of themselves." "Anybody who can take out something on a baby, it's just, there's something wrong with them." PROSECUTORS SAID PEASLEE WAS STOPPED BY POLICE AFTER HE WENT THROUGH A STOP SIGN, POLICE NOTICED A CHILD IN DISTRESS.. EVEN MORE TROUBLING, THE D-A SAID , IS WHAT WAS DISCOVERED IN THE APARTMENT WHEN POLICE WENT TO INVESTIGATE. "There's a tape that talks about never shake your baby and most hospitals do have new parents, especially young parents which is what we have in this case, watch this tape before they take their child home. So that they understand the repercussions of what happens if you do lose control and act out of anger, the repercussions are with their child forever. So in this case the couple was given a copy of that tape." POLICE HAD SAID SHE WAS IN "GRAVE" CONDITION AT MAINE MEDICAL CENTER- ALTHOUGH THE HOSPITAL SAID THEY COULDN'T GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATIN BECAUSE THE CHILD WAS NOW A WARD OF THE STATE. PEASLEE IS DUE BACK IN COURT ON MARCH FOURTH LIVE IN AUGUSTA JIM KEITHLEY WMTW NEWS 8.

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